Life Advocacy Briefing

Question of the Week

IF A PILL IS INTENDED TO KILL A HUMAN BEING, should the FDA rescind its September, 2000, fast-tracked marketing approval of that drug?

A DC Win for Idaho – & the Babies

IDAHO NO LONGER FACES FEDERAL LITIGATION by which the Biden Regime attempted to force the state to force pro-life doctors, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, “to participate in so-called ‘emergency’ abortions.” A federal judge has persisted in “attempting to delay” enforcement of an Idaho law specifically providing that doctors cannot be required to engage in “emergency” abortions, but the Trump Justice Department has withdrawn the case.

The Biden Regime filed a lawsuit against Idaho’s law in August of 2022, notes Mr. Freiburger, “claiming that the federal Emergency Medical Treatment & Active Labor Act (EMTALA) overrides Idaho’s pro-life laws and requires emergency room doctors to commit abortions that would otherwise be illegal under state law.” After a lower court sided with the Biden lawyers, the US Supreme Court agreed to take the case and authorized the state to continue enforcing its law while the case is pending. Thanks to the Trump Justice Department’s action dropping the case, it now appears the state of Idaho can enforce its law and protect both the consciences of emergency room doctors and the lives of endangered developing babies.

Permanent Funding Ban Proposed for Planned Parenthood

SENATOR RAND PAUL (R-KY) HAS FILED A BILL to bar US funding of Planned Parenthood. S-203 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions and is co-sponsored by GOP Senators Tommy Tuberville (AL), Jim Banks (IN), Roger Marshall (KS), Eric Schmitt (MO), Ted Budd & Thom Tillis (NC), Tim Scott (SC), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Ted Cruz (TX) and Mike Lee (UT). Readers who wish to call their own Senators or the committee chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) about supporting this bill may use the Senate switchboard at 202/224-3121.

The bill is about as simple and straightforward as legislation can get, and it would put the funding ban into statutory law rather than subjecting Planned Parenthood exclusion to annual appropriation jousts. Here is the wording: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no federal funds may be made available to Planned Parenthood Federation of America or to any of its affiliates.”

Sen. Paul’s bill, notes Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, “complements separate legislation recently introduced by Republican US Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey and Republican US Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi that, rather than disqualifying specific organizations, would establish that ‘[n]o funds authorized or appropriated by federal law, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are authorized or appropriated by federal law, shall be expended for any abortion’ or for ‘health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion,’ except in cases of rape, incest or ‘medical emergency.’”

The bills coincide with the Trump Administration’s re-establishment, by executive order, of the Hyde Amendment, explains Mr. Freiburger, “that forbids most federal funds from directly supporting elective abortions and the Mexico City Policy that forbids non-governmental organizations from using taxpayer dollars for elective abortions abroad.” The Trump actions were welcome and urgently needed to slam the door shut on the gushing of taxpayer funds into abortionists’ pockets under the Biden Regime, but executive orders can easily be supplanted by a future Administration. The Paul, Smith and Wicker bills, notes Mr. Freiburger, “would make clear prohibitions on funding abortion and the abortion industry permanent, reversible only by future acts of Congress.”

In his news release announcing the bill’s introduction, Sen. Paul declared, quoted by Mr. Freiburger: “‘As a physician, I took an oath to do no harm. As a father and grandfather, I’ve witnessed the miracle of life firsthand. … My commitment to protecting life isn’t just personal, it’s rooted in both science and principle. Life begins at conception, and I’ve spent my time in the Senate fighting to protect the right to life.’”

Amendment Watch in the States

• MISSOURI LAWMAKERS ARE SEEKING to ameliorate the effects of a state constitutional abortion amendment ratified by state voters last November but could be adding complications in the process. A Senate committee met in late February, reports Clare Marie Merkowsky for LifeSiteNews, “to discuss passing SJR-33, an amendment that would put abortion exceptions, as well as a ban on most abortions, in the state constitution.” The pending proposal would prohibit “most abortions,” she writes, but “continues to allow abortions up to 12 weeks in the cases of rape or incest and ‘medical emergencies’” with limitations. It would bar the spending of tax dollars on abortions, as well. But abortion survivor Rebecca Kiessling warned, reports Ms. Merkowsky, “‘It would be the first time in US history that a state constitution would enshrine the killing of a group that legislators have determined subhuman, that they have determined to be pawns, that they’ve determined to be expendable, and we are just as worthy of love and life and protection as anyone else,’ she declared.” Worse yet, Ms. Kiessling has reportedly been “told Missouri will ‘extend it from 12 to 16 weeks to kill the baby, and, they’re adding fetal abnormality exceptions – targeting children with disabilities.’”

• LAWMAKERS IN WASHINGTON STATE have proposed a state constitutional amendment, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, to “enshrine a ‘right’ to both abortion-on-demand and gender transition ‘treatment’ at the same time,” calling those warped injustices an “‘individual’s fundamental right to choose’” various “‘decisions.’” The proposal must garner the votes of two-thirds of the elected members of each legislative house and then a majority vote by citizens. Mr. Freiburger quotes a GOP state representative who is also the state GOP party chairman, declaring, “‘They obviously don’t have the votes to pass it. They would need three Republicans to vote for a constitutional amendment, which I just don’t see that happening, so I’m curious what the point is.’” Citizens, however, should take the matter seriously and weigh in on the matter to shut the door before the Left gins up its pressure campaign.

Stateside

• THE CONNECTICUT LEGISLATURE has allocated $800,000 of taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, expecting it “will be used to ‘stockpile’ abortion pills in anticipation of future restrictions. The CT Mirror,” writes Mr. Freiburger, “reported that the legislation leaves it up to the abortion chain affiliate exactly how to spend the money, but PPSNE vice president Gretchen Raffa has already confirmed that the lion’s share will be used on mifepristone. ‘We know that there are threats that are coming from the federal Administration and Congress,’” she said, quoted by LifeSiteNews from the local news story, “‘and we need to do everything we can to ensure that people will continue to have access to medication abortion and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care.’”

• MONTANA’s SENATE HAS ‘TAKEN THE FIRST STEP,’ writes Cassy Fiano-Chesser for Live Action, “toward closing a loophole that created a gray area for assisted suicide.” A 2009 ruling by the state’s supreme court in Baxter v. Montana “created a loophole that would have allowed assisted suicide by refusing to declare whether or not the act is expressly legal,” writes Mrs. Chesser. “Essentially, the Montana Supreme Court said that assisted death is neither legal nor illegal.” The pending bill, S-136, has passed the Senate and awaits action in the House. It says, notes Mrs. Chesser, “that [patient] consent is not a defense against homicide or assisted suicide.” The Live Action report quotes Sen. Daniel Emrich (R): “‘That this is a peaceful way to go out is a fallacy. The drug cocktails they give them contain paralytics, and these, without other drugs, will make them suffocate and die. … We’re telling them they’re not worthy to be on this earth. That they should just go away because they’re inconvenient.’”

• NEW JERSEY GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D) ANNOUNCED in late February his new budget proposal includes $52 million to pay for abortions, reports Doug Mainwaring for LifeSiteNews, “of which $2 million would be earmarked to entice abortionists now based in pro-life states to relocate” to his state, calling it an “‘ob-gyn incentive program.’” The budget also includes “‘building a state stockpile of the abortion drug mifepristone,’” notes Live Action’s Joy Stockbauer, quoted by LSN. New Jersey Right to Life’s Marie Tasy noted, writes Mr. Mainwaring, “that approximately 59,700 abortions were committed in the state in 2023 after [Gov.] Murphy signed the state’s ‘Reproductive Freedom Act.’” The LSN story goes on to quote Mrs. Tasy: “‘The reality is that New Jersey’s extreme abortion laws exploit and victimize women and young girls by granting immunity to sex traffickers, pedophiles, medical professionals and other bad actors who prey on vulnerable women.’” And that list, it seems to us, includes certain governors.

• OHIO RIGHT TO LIFE HAS FILED a complaint with the state’s health department about an abortion cartel website which is advertising mail-order abortion pills, in violation, says the pro-life group, of a state law requiring an in-person visit with a doctor before dispensing of the baby poison pill. Said the pro-life group, whose news release is quoted by Bridget Sielicki for Live Action, “‘Online access to “discreet” abortion pills reduces women’s access to necessary health care and physician oversight to screen for potential complications and increased risk factors.’” And besides, as the group points out, it’s against Ohio law.

• A STATE LAWMAKER IN WEST VIRGINIA has filed a bill to remove the sex-crime loophole in the state’s current pro-life law. “Current law largely prohibits abortion,” notes LifeSiteNews writer Matt Lamb. “However, adult women can abort their babies in the first eight weeks of pregnancy if the babies are allegedly conceived in rape or incest. Minor girls can kill their babies in the first 14 weeks … in alleged cases of rape or incest.” The bill’s chief sponsor, Delegate Elias Coop-Gonzalez, “explained how the law should affirm the value of all human beings,” writes Mr. Lamb, “no matter how they were conceived. ‘As a staunch advocate for the sanctity of life, I remain committed to protecting every human being from the moment of conception, including innocent preborn children who are conceived in the tragic and heartbreaking circumstances of rape and incest,’ the Republican delegate told the media,” reports Mr. Lamb. “‘While some have called for exceptions to be made in these cases, I believe it is vital to stand firm in the conviction that no child, regardless of their conception, deserves to be deprived of life.’ He said babies conceived in rape ‘are not responsible for the sins of their fathers’ while acknowledging it is a ‘tragic’ situation.” Well said!

In the Courts

THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT on Feb. 20 delivered a blow to the abortion lobby, reports Matt Lamb for LifeSiteNews, voting 6 to 1 to send back to a lower court an attempt to overturn Georgia’s “heartbeat” law, “the Living Infants Fairness & Equality (LIFE) Act” of 2019. The law took effect in 2022.

The most recent decision, notes Mr. Lamb, “followed an unrelated court case concerning third-party standing. That Jan. 28 decision made it harder for third parties to bring suits,” he explains, and “the plaintiffs in this case [challenging the Heartbeat law] are not individual women seeking abortions. Rather, the ACLU-backed plaintiffs are abortion facilities, such as Planned Parenthood, and abortionists.”

The high court’s ruling was a setback not only for the abortionists, notes Mr. Lamb, but also for the Fulton County Superior Court Judge, Robert McBurney, who had attempted to knock out the legislation, writing an opinion last October, reports Mr. Lamb, “that claimed protections for preborn babies turn a woman into an ‘incubator,’ although he would have allowed prohibitions on abortions in third trimester.” How noble.

“Judge McBurney declared last September,” writes Mr. Lamb, “the LIFE Act was ‘unconstitutional’ because ‘the liberty of privacy means that [pregnant women] alone should choose whether they serve as human incubators for the five months leading up to [so-called] viability.’ The activist judge’s decision came,” declares Mr. Lamb, “despite a ruling the year prior that upheld the law. Georgia’s highest court soon after reversed that decision, allowing the law to remain in place while the case continued.”

It seems to us regrettable that such litigation bounces back and forth, seemingly forever, without respect for the state supreme court’s rulings. Bottom line, though: The LIFE Act remains in force even while being challenged; babies are being saved, and the abortion cartel is suffering economic loss as well as repeated loss of face.

Speaker Johnson at March for Life

Jan. 24, 2025, address by US House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), transcribed by Life Advocacy Briefing

             Good morning – or afternoon. We’re so glad that you’ve joined us here in Washington, DC. Thank you for making the trip. It really is a great encouragement to all of us to see all of you, so many pro-life Americans here to stand and march for the sanctity of human life.

             I stand here with these colleagues of mine, these leaders for Life, and it means so much to us to see all of you. For 52 years this event has united millions of pro-life Americans just like us for the common purpose, that we believe that every child has the right to life.

             For two decades before I was elected to Congress, I served as a constitutional law attorney, and I’ve litigated cases to defend our fundamental freedoms like religious liberty and the sanctity of human life. And now in this role that I have as Speaker of the House, I’m working to defend those freedoms in a different way, and the good news is there are many leaders here in Congress – just like the ones standing behind us here – who are committed to doing that same thing.

             And of course, my friends, it is a new golden age in America. Now we have President Donald J. Trump back in the White House. [cheers] We are entering a new era [applause] – that’s right – and with Vice President J.D. Vance, they have already [cheers] – this new White House has already shown its resolve. As one of his first official acts, President Trump has just freed and pardoned nearly two dozen wrongfully imprisoned pro-life activists. And I don’t know if you saw his executive order on gender, but it defines life as beginning at conception rather than birth.

             In Congress just yesterday, the House passed the Born Alive Survivors Protection Act. It is a matter [applause] – that’s right. It’s a matter of basic humanity to ensure that a child who survives an abortion attempt should be cared for as he or she is lying on the table gasping for breath. But I am so sad to tell you that only one House Democrat joined us in voting for that bill. [boos] It’s incredible really, but it demonstrates just how important events like this today are.

             My friends, House and Senate Republicans are committed to protecting innocent life. We will do it. As we near the 250^th anniversary of our great nation, we remember that at the heart of our great experiment in self-governance is the recognition of the right to life, as Leader Thune just said.

             America is premised on the self-evident truth that every single person is made in the image of our Creator, God, and thus every single person has inestimable dignity and value. And your value is not related in any way to the color of your skin or what Zip code you live in or what you do for a living. Your value is inherent; it is given to you by God. [applause] That’s right. What we need today is a new generation of leaders and activists like William Wilberforce and Frederick Douglass, men and women who will courageously use their voices to defend others. You, my friends, are part of that generation, and together we are rebuilding a culture of life, and it begins now. [cheers] By sharing your time and influence, by volunteering to assist pregnancy resource centers, all the very practical ways that we can assist, using our voices, using our influence. It’s going to make a difference.

             I’ll close with this: I was born in January 1972; it was almost exactly a year before Roe v. Wade became the law of the land. I was the product of an unplanned teen pregnancy. So eternally grateful that my mom and dad ignored all the people who told them to just “take care of that problem,” and they chose to embrace life and to have me, the first of their four children. If they [cheers] – It’s a simple fact, a very simple fact, that they had not done that, then I would not be here, and I often wonder who else we have missed, and what those individuals might have contributed to our society and our world, but they were just never given the opportunity.

             I often wonder when we as a nation will face that reality and turn our hearts back to the self-evident truth that we boldly proclaimed in our nation’s birth certificate in 1776, as was said earlier, that all people are created equal, and that all people are endowed by our Creator with the right to life. Let, let’s keep working to ensure that more eyes are open, that more people will embrace those timeless truths and that all children will be allowed the incomparable gift of being born. Thank you for being part of this movement and this noble cause. God bless this march, and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you.